Wichita Retiree Stranded in UAE After Promised U.S. Flights Never Materialized

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A retired teacher from Wichita, Kansas, Heather Gibbs, was on vacation in the United Arab Emirates when U.S. and Israeli forces began bombing Iran nearby. While the UAE government provided them with safe shelter and they filled out all the State Department emergency forms, Gibbs and her mother found themselves stranded in a foreign country as promised evacuation flights to the U.S. never came to fruition.

Why it matters

The incident highlights the challenges faced by American citizens caught in the midst of geopolitical conflicts abroad, as well as the difficulties governments can have in coordinating large-scale evacuations during times of crisis.

The details

Gibbs says the U.S. government had promised they would be able to return home, but charter flights to the U.S. took off before they even heard about them. They were then offered evacuation flights to other countries like Turkey or Greece, but in the end, it was a flight booked through their travel agent that got them home, adding to the worry of their friends back in Wichita.

• The U.S. and Israel began bombing Iran nearby in March 2026.
• Gibbs and her mother were on vacation in the UAE when the conflict broke out.

What they’re saying

What’s next

The U.S. State Department has pledged to investigate the failed evacuation efforts and implement improvements to better assist Americans stranded abroad during future crises.